Singapore to Deport 29 Bus Drivers for Illegal Strike

By Bei Hu -
Dec 1, 2012

Singapore will deport 29 SMRT Corp.
bus drivers and charge five others for their roles in the city’s
first labor protest since the 1980s.

Those facing charges could be imprisoned for as long as a
year for taking part in what was described as an “illegal
strike,” according to a statement posted on the government’s
website. Four were arrested between Nov. 28 and Nov. 29 and have
already been charged, while the fifth will be charged on Dec. 3.

“The strike was planned and premeditated,” according to
the statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry
of Manpower. “It disrupted our public transport which is an
essential service, and posed a threat to public order.”

More than 170 bus drivers failed to report for duty on Nov.
26, while 88 halted work the following day, SMRT said. The
company said the striking workers were from China, while the
Singapore government didn’t identify their nationalities today.